Supporting Solution:

Collaborative Composting

WHAT IS IT?

Composting improves soil ecology, saves organic waste going to landfill, and reduces the associated costs paid by councils and businesses. What’s needed is a simple plug and play program that can bring together councils, businesses and residents to create an easy, low-cost composting system for green space projects.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Councils could work with businesses such as supermarkets, food markets, florists, and commercial food courts to introduce large-scale composting of organic food waste. Closed Loop, or similar, systems are located near food hubs, grocers, and supermarkets e.t.c., so there is a predictable supply of waste to compost. The organic compost produced is used by council groundskeepers to maintain soil and plant quality, and may also be sold or given to landscapers and residents. The costs associated with the logistics of the composting is offset by the savings made on fertiliser, as well as fees paid for waste removal, which are generally charged by volume. Compost put back into the ground may also be eligible for soil carbon sequestration offsets.

WHY IT’S USEFUL

Waste collection costs business and council lots of money, redirecting and converting organic waste into compost will save costs associated with it going to landfill.

REFERENCE PROJECTS

Turf Research Program out of the University of Western Australia, Urban Users Working Group, The Fertiliser Partnership, Department of Agriculture and Food, The Bondi Gobbler Composting Trial, Brothl by Joost, Closed Loop, City of Chicago Commercial Composting, Bankstown Council Wheelie Good Compost